thinking out loud
by dourdan
Summary: so i wanted to make a freelancer story about the most tragic character Agent York. featuring 3 oc; Delaware inspired by the movie lucy (and a co-worker),Wisconsin (inspired by by brother-inlaw) and Iowa inspired by various movie characters. title inspired by the fact that, much like the song- this story is a stream of ideas.
1. Agent Delawhere

"it's that damn left side..."

"...just need a minute."

"...wait wait tex don't let..."

Agent York, knew those were some lame last words. But that part of the story would come later.

Real name Daniel or Danny but it had been so long ago he no longer cared. His parents were long gone, as was the only woman he ever loved.

And then there was the cancer (or at least that was the analysis his internal ai device Delta told him; there was late stage cancer in his stomach and lower intestines.)

There was a possibility it had metastasized past those areas, but he told Delta to keep it a secret from him (his life was already so desperately sad, knowing how long he had left to live would not help matters.)

But how had he survived for that long? After leaving project freelancer, just over 6 years ago, with only his skills and his armor (and Delta) he had to find a way to survive while keeping a low profile.

He knew of 3 who got out before the s-it hit the fan. Agent Wisconsin (James),Agent Iowa (Rosa), and Agent Delaware (Lucy). they were never at the top of the leader boards, in fact a few were in the bottom on several occasions. But they were all good people and he knew they would at least offer him a hot meal or a place to sleep.

So when he left with Agent Texas all those years ago, first stop was agent Delaware

At age 19, Lucy, (a 5'3" blonde with shoulder length curls and a face that made her appear much younger) had been recruited primarily for her computer programming and data analysis background. she was a brilliant mind that could backward engineer her way in to any system. She was a fast learner and the inventor of several control systems commonly used in combat vehicles and digital weaponry. But she was terrible with actually firing any kind of gun and her combat skills just could not keep up with the rest of the team. It was not a pretty sight.

After failing several field missions she was sent to do work that was more appropriate for her skill set; and then she was transferred out. But Agent York was always a friend to her. She genuinely wanted to be there; she was excited by the idea of being a freelancer, which made all her failures hurt so much more. And certain older agents (the main cause of getting her transferred out) stated that she was so un-trainable they felt unsafe with her on their teams.

She cried herself to sleep at night. York would always try to get people to stop bullying her, after all she was just as kid and she had real talent if someone could fins a way to use her skills correctly.

When she left, back to a civilian life she got a job at a homeless shelter, teaching basic job skills to people in need.(saving the world one life at a time.)

She was off the radar of any military surveillance. So York felt safe making contact.

He stole some normal clothes and as pack, just so he could be out of his armor when he met her.

"OMG! it's really you!" she said as kindhearted and child-like as she was when he first met her.

They met at her office where she ordered take out.

"have a seat. I can't believe it's been 4 years since I left military." she said, overjoyed to see him again. Agent York's friendhsip was the one positive memory she had for her time in the service- beyond that the 3 years she served had been a living h-ll.

York told her his story; of the AI implementation and all the repercussions it bore (including Agent Maine going psychotic and shoving Agent Carolina off a cliff). How he learned of what project really was, and how he finally knew to escape with the help of Agent Texas.

"Wow, they really starting putting a robots in your brains?!" she said, genuinely shocked that the AI program actually came to fruition.

Out of armor he could not really show her, but she had worked on the early stages of the AI development so she pretty much believed his story.

"I guess i got out just in time." she said taking a sip of her water. The uncomfortable silence made her realize she was being a little insensitive. "and I'm sorry about Carolina, I know you loved her, everyone did." she paused and back petaled.

"Not that everyone loved Carolina, she was a little on the mean side and she threatened to kick any girl's ass who even looked at you. But we all loved you and she made you happy." she said stuffing her mouth full of food to stop any further idiocy.

"you know what.." she opened her purse and pulled out all of her cash, it was well over a thousand dollars.

"I can't..." he needed the money, but knew she was not wealthy, so he felt a little ashamed about accepting.

"you need help, that's why you asked me to meet you." she said putting the money in his hand. "this will be enough for you to keep moving. You have always been good to me. It's the least i can do. I'm sure you have other people you can ...go to... for more." again those words felt wrong. He wouldn't have contacted her for just money. if he went rogue; if he was a fugitive he needed real help; help that she was in no position to give. she was trembling, she felt her voice cracking.

"but f you need a place to stay I'm sure I can get you a bed at the shelter for a few days." she said, feeling bad about not offering to let him stay at her apartment. But she had 2 roommates, of whom was her fiancee, so the situation wasn't ideal. but Agent York's kindness was the only reason she had not taken her own life years ago. He was always there to remind her, she had talent and she had worth. He was like the big brother she never had.

"that ok, I have a place i can head to. It's been nice to see you." he said, seeing how awkward the moment had become.

"good luck. and be safe." she gave him a hug that lasted longer then it should have. she knew she would never see him again and even after 4 years apart there was a part of that was really affected by that. When he closed the door she involuntary started to cry.

York knew of one person who might give him a place to stay, (at least until he could figure out something more permanent- or any idea of what his life could be.)

So he bought a used 8 year old motorcycle (that looked like ti had seen better days) it would hopefully get him as far as he needed to go.


	2. Agent Wisconsin

Agent Wisconsin (James)-

James's parents owned cattle properties through out the farm country so he had a place to return to, and he was insanely rich. James (an all american former highschool athlete who enlisted at 18 and made it to the freelancers at 22) was actually a highly skilled fighter, but he was kind of cocky about it. He would have eventually transitioned in to a great team leader, if not for all the older agents who found him to be insufferable. but once again, York hated to see anyone bullied, especially someone who was only trying to fit in.

There was a rumor that Agent Wyoming was trying to arrange to have James drgaged out of bed and beaten up in the locker room like something out of an old military movie. York felt the need to try and make things right (or at least fair.)

"he needs to learn his place." he said, in his south accent that made him sound like a bad guy in a western.

"So do you. You're at least 8 years older then then him. Don't you remember what it was like to be a his age." appealing to his sympathy was not going to work, but it felt logical at the time.

"his age, but in OUR position- no. At his age I was working my way up with a sense of humility. I don't see why you go out of your way to defend the little child prodigies that get sent here way before their time, but it's getting on my nerves." Wyoming said. it was logical and there was no way to convince him otherwise.

"just try not to kill him."York said as he left. He went straight to Agent Wisconsin, to warn him of a possible beat down.

"Do you need my help? If you say no I will respect your choice." York knew the answer. He was too proud to ever accept help, especially since he wanted to establish himself as a leader. But at least he would keep his gaurd up.

For what that was worth. Agent Wyoming, Maine, Alabama, Arizona and even Alaska (a mind tempered 6'10" native american solider, who was usually not really offend by people with large egos) beat Wisconsin so badly he was in sick bay for 3 weeks (broken arm, 6 broken ribs, and a skull fracture.)

York tried to avoid him the day James was transferred out. but James sought him out. "I wanted to thank you." he said still out of armor, his face covered in bruises.

"I don't understand? I should have stopped him. I'm really..." he could not help but feel bad about what happened; no one deserved to be attacked 5 on 1.

"I told you not to. and if tried to help me i would have kicked your ass too." he extend his hand for a goodbye handshake."You did the right thing; you gave me a head up, so it was a fair fight. and for that I will always consider you a friend."

"um.. thanks, no problem man." York awkwardly shook his hand.

Realistically he knew James would be happier/more fulfilled as a cop or some kind of manage mt position.

He did both, he became a local cop while also managing his parents farm properties. James had been transferred out long before the AI were handed out (although the more he through about it, an AI might have been helpful to reel in Jame's personality).

"hey man! Welcome to cow country!" he greeted York with a friend/y pat on the back.

"you're welcome to stay but first- you still have it, right? I gotta see it, bro." James said eh ever heard about was the AI project, so his expectations were sci-fi level high.

"Delta?" York said, grabbing his bag.

"It's a chick? I though all the AI's were dudes?!"

"no they're named after the greek alphabet." York was starting to remember why no one took agent Wisconsin seriously as a leader.

"oh like a frat house!" James added.

"let's just get inside and I'll show you through my armor." York said, trying to not eye roll.

James showed him to the servant quarters. It was the spring, so most of the workers lived in tents, because they would pack up a move to the next farm, as the season progressed. Very few lived on the actual property, and during the coldest months of the year, no one lived there. This was a problem for Jame's family since it left the property open to theft and vandalism. but what better way to combat that then a live-in former freelancer agent.

"but we don't turn the power on during those months, that shouldn't be a problem, right, I mean you've delt with worse during deployments." James asked as polite as possible. He had only even been deployed to earth-like environments, but he had heard of high ranking agents deploying to iceworlds.

"it's all good." after all winter would be several months away and he just needed a place to stay.

"Agent York finds those conditions satisfactory." said Delta when York had on enough armor to make him project visibly.

"So awesome! Hi little green guy. so anyway I'm going to let you get settled in, you start work tomorrow, check in with um.. I think his name is Ernesto- head of field workers.. but you don't have to work in the fields. you're primarily here as security. But if you or little green guy want to help out, feel free. I'll see you when i see you."he wasn't kidding. between being a cop and checking up on the other farms, it would be months before he visited again.

Things were going well during the spring a summer months, he did help out in the fields, making friends and keeping in good shape. In his spare time he repaired his motorcycle, in preparation for when he would inevitably have to leave.

But winter hit hard.

He wanted to wear his armor as little as possible, as to not draw attention to himself. James could could probably explain why someone was camped out in an empty farm, but someone in full 'space marine' armor would be a little more difficult.

He gathered wood and use what money he had to make the 4 mile ride to the nearest town to buy food. Soon after few weeks of doing this he started to feel sick. At first it felt like a cold, then the flu. As temperatures dropped to below 0*f, he decided it might be worth it to sleep in his armor, if only to not wake up dead.

but his body was abnormality weak. And during the day, when the temperatures rose to the mid 20*f he still felt sick. Then one day, after 10 months on the farm, he was just strong enough to get out of his armor, put away the armor, before coughing so hard he felt like there was a 100 pound weight on his chest.

"Agent York, I can send the local police a distress call."

"that might be a good idea." he didn't want to cause trouble but he also didn't want to die in the freezing cold. "I'm just going to take a rest."

Delta sent an electrical impulse scan through out his body to make sure his brain and organs remained functional. "oh dear, I appear to have located abnormalities with in your lower digestive system. This may be related to your compromise immune system. It is a series of late stage cancerous tumors..."

"well, shit- thanks for braking it to me so compassionately. I'm either going to freeze to death quickly or die slowly of gut cancer."

"Shall I notify you if the condition worsens. "

"please don't. I know someone who can help me. Just get me to a hospital, then I'll tell James we're leaving."

Delta was able to contact the police; they assumed the signal was coming from a cell phone. Upon seeing the address of the call, James was the one sent to investigate.

York was taken to a hospital, where he was given enough treatment to recover from pneumonia. He didn't allow the doctors to test for anything else.

James told the hospital staff, York was a homeless drifter he had hired to guard the property, and to send any medical bills to James.

When he felt well enough to leave the hospital he told James of his plan to locate one last contact, a former freelancer medic Agent Iowa.


	3. Agent Iowa

Agent Iowa

After 10 months and one hellish winter, he left Agent Wisconsin's farm, to find his final contact, Agent Iowa. Primarily do to the fact she was a medic and also a fugitive.

Some said she looked like snow white; lips red as blood, hair black as coal, skin white as snow. for many solider's her's was the last face they saw. But Iowa loved to point out "Space Marines brag about their hit to kill ratio- well my 'patient loss to saved' ratio is pretty awesome too."

"Rosa? are you sure that's a good idea? that girl was all kinds of psycho." Wisconsin said as he helped him load up his one bag.

Unlike the others Rosa was not let go for lack of skill or injury, she went rogue. After the death of her good friend Agent Connecticut or CT- she knew she needed to grab all she could and make a run for it. She took any data and weapons she could get her hands on, and sold it off to a black market contact for a lump sum payment. Now she lived in a cabin in the woods, scavenging what ever she could.

With some donated clothes, and a newly repaired motorcycle York rode to where he knew she was. Various other had kept in contact, so although his intell was years old he had an idea of how to find her.

Of course "why" would be his next question as a rocket launcher blasted him off the highway.

Surely there were other friends he could have tried to find that were not paranoid recluses. Or maybe he could have just continued to travel, or robbed a bank. Any option seemed better at the moment.

He woke up naked, tied to a bed, covered in burns and bruises, with a badly broken leg.

"Agent York- why are you here!" Rosa was in full armor pointing a rifle at him.

"I need help. I left project freelancer. I know what they really are." he said, out of breath.

"what did you take?" she asked, not lowering her weapon.

"uh, I have my AI." that was all he could think to say.

She meant 'what can you sell to me in exchange for my help' but the fact he had an AI was much more interesting.

"show me," she said untying him, then tossing him just the helmet.(which made for an interesting visual.)

"you are Agent Iowa, a former combat medic," delta said, as the helmet finally allowed for him to be projected. "Agent york is in need of medical attention, for many reasons." He went on to explain that York would likely die from illness, in a reasonably short time, so all they ask for is a few medical supplies."

"and because I'm a single woman living alone in the woods you think i have an underground source for medical supplies?- well i do" she said in a creepily cheerful voice. "keep me company for 6 months and I'll hook you up." she said already gathering her medical tools to fix his leg.

"um.. ok..." he didn't have much of a choice, as she still had her weapon out.

"awesome. AI, do me a favor- monitor his pain levels, so this doesn't kill him." she reset his leg using large metal vices (like something out of the 18th century), then bandaged it up with pieces of wood to stint the bones in to place. York tried his best not to scream.

"All done. What did you mean he needed medical attention? Apart from what is already visible." she said taking off her armor.

"You mean apart from when you shot me?!" York finally said.

"Calm yourself Agent York, or you risk further injury." Delta said, he went on to give a description of the cancer he scanned.

"Cancer? you don't say." wearing a t-shirt and jeans, lowered her pants enough to show him her hips "hysterectomy scar- the ones who died in battle were the lucky ones, we're all going to die of cancer, from all the space tech, nukes and what ever else were were exposed to."

She had other scars from where 'tissue' had to be removed, but that one got her point across.

"you can have the bed, I'll sleep on the floor, at least until your leg heals up."

For the next few weeks she cooked meals and sanitized his wounds with local herbs, when he was strong enough to walk using her handmade crutches she showed him where she goes to for the "strong stuff." Yes, she knew how to live off the land, but when you have stage 3 cancer AND early menopause you need something more then natural.

"This is my monthly check up. Wait in the next room and I'll get you hooked up with more illegal painkiller then you ever thought possible." she said as she left him in what appeared to be a sewer.

It was an underground 'free clinic' where a questionable doctor examined Rosa's nude body. Worried for her safety he took a look through the opened door. that's when he saw Rosa had a mastectomy scars as well as a chemo port scar. The whole 'appointment' looked more like a weird fetish then actual medical care but at the end the doctor gave her a giant bag of pill bottles, enough for her and her "new friend."

When they got home she divided up what she needed. "here. the longer you can stay, the more i can get you."

She enjoyed his company so much she got his motorcycle repaired (because it was the right thing to do).

They only talked about the good things from their past. she had a few good memories of people she was able to save, but Agent York had even more. And when he wanted to talk about how much he thought about Agent Carolina, after her death, Rosa was willing to listen.

So after 3 months, of talk and cooking and friendship. She snuck in to his bed. She only wanted to hold him, to feel what it was like to be next to someone so perfectly kind. It was simply loneliness.

"I can't" he said not even opening his eyes.

"can't what?" she said still trying to caress him.

"you know what i mean. i'm just not ready, I miss her so much and..."

"you think I'm a slut, or something?!" she shot up. "I was just going to stay in here for warmth- since i gave you me only bed!"

"sorry. it's a was knee jerk reaction; your reputation on the base..." so not the right answer.

"Agent Wyoming, was my best friend, he got me my spot in Freelancers, because I was the best medic he had ever seen. But as he rose in rank, he didn't want to be with me and instead of breaking it off like a normal person he had Agent Maine drug and rape me so he could spread rumors that I cheated on him!" she said screaming." She never wanted to relive those memories.

"you never told anyone?" was all he could say.

"I told people, who i thought could help, but when you're 39th on the leader board, the people in charge are not about to punish 2 agents who are in the top 10. The only other person I told was CT, she at least believed me. so when she died i knew i couldn't stay there. I had no one. You are the first person I've been close enough to consider my friend; the first person who might not see me as a slut or a mutant covered in cancer scars. I just wanted to share the bed with you."she was crying so hard she could hardly breathe.

Oh crap. He screw up big time. Her story sounded like something Agent Wyoming would totally do. before he could try to apologize she declared; "I think you need to leave." I'll have you bags packed by the door first thing tomorrow." she said as she left.

It was all clear now, Agent Iowa wasn't crazy, she was a victim with no voice. With his leg far from being healed, he woke up at 2 am, took his stuff and left a note on her bed.

"I could say I'm sorry for your suffering and pain but that would not change anything. So my words to you- please remember- this world can be ugly but you are always beautiful. see you in the next life."


	4. Agent Texas

Agent Texas

For the next few years, York survived on his own as a thief, living in abandoned buildings.

Sick with seizures, and pain, he knew he did not an infinite amount of pain medicine; he would want to save it for when things got truly bad; for the day he would ask Delta to help him end his life. He could have turned to illegal narcotics,- but that would have been way too expensive (he had Delta calculate the approximate cost- on several occasions.).

But that was not how his story was destined to end.

Agent Texas, the one who got him out of the Freelancers, needed his help. Texas was the strongest, most skilled Freelancer Agent, but he had never seen her out of armor; it was as if she had no real face (not that it mattered, she was still a good person). What brought her to York, was her AI was lost and Agent Maine was out to 'catch them all' like a deranged pokemon trainer. Agent Wyoming might have information, or even be harboring Agent Maine. But she needed a master lockpick; for a digital, enhanced lock.

And the fact that she could use York as back up would be helpful as well.

York wouldn't be hard to find.

Along with the damage to his left eye from long before (from the first time he met Texas and he protected her when Wyoming and Maine opened fire with live ammunition), he suffered nerve damage from the broken left leg that never healed correctly (because he just HAD to remind the only medic knew that the entire Freelancer base though she was a whore...FML.).

So now he always wore his armor, but tried to stay out of sight. Texas figured that would be the case so she tracked him to a shop he was breaking in to in a neighborhood known for foreclosed properties.

She explained the situation and after acting like he was asking Delta's opinion, he agreed to help. After all Maine and Wyoming were not good people but if there was one person who could stop them it would be Texas.

And he would gladly be her backup, from there it was destiny. After opening the complex lock for her, and engaging Wyoming (apparently Maine wasn't there)

Then the near perfect Agent Texas had a gun jam; a near impossibility.

"Cover me!" she didn't even have to ask.

The two bullets punctured his lungs, ripping shared of rib bone, that further tore up his organs. He was slowly bleeding to death internally. As his lungs filled with blood , he could barely take a breath. (which would explain his lackluster last words. )

When Texas asked Delta for a status the little robot first said a medical evac would be needed (it wouldn't. plus how would Agent Texas even get help from their remote location.)

"hop in to my armor"Texas offered. she could at least save Delta.

"I would rather stay with Agent York, to administer pain medicine." delta said.

Even as they were being fired upon, Texas though the act was unique for an AI. "that's very kind of you." (or maybe because her own AI had been pure evil and she never expected to see an AI with a capacity for empathy.)

As she left Delta administered enough pain medicine to allow York to genitally loose consciousness, the last words he heard from Delta, "think of Carolina. Let you last thoughts be of her beauty and love. I hope you find her on the other side; I hope you find everyone we've lost."

He had no idea the AI was capable of such human emotion. but wasn't a surprise; Delta was the closest thing he had to a best friend.

Agent York died as he lived ; a loyal friend to anyone who needed one.

(ooc- going to end this before it gets any more cheesy.)

end


	5. Agent Washington

ooc: I felt the need to add and epilogue.

Agent Washington, or for the time being 'recon 1' was one of the few remaining freelancers who had not died, gone rogue or went power crazy/ insane. As such, he was tasked to travel the land, tracking the signals emitted by the armor of dead Freelancers; even in death they were still property of command.

His main goal was retrieval of the AI units. They were sentient beings that contained more secrets then even the most secure hard drive. This was in somewhat contrast to his mission to "retrieve ALL salvageable materials." But his reason was logical and some might say; honorable.

Agent Washington had never seen a dead body. Yes, he has seen people die, (both good and bad) but he had never seen an actual body; the flesh, skin, bone, hair; every thing that used to be a person. These were someone's children with feelings, thoughts, goals and dreams- now rotting in to meat.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.' He said out loud as he left the scene of Agent Arkansas's corpse. She had been shot in the head at close range and robbed of her sniper gear. Her armor was still at 90%; salvageable. But more importantly; Her name was Lily.

Her light green armor contained no AI unit, so he took a step back. As he closed his eyes he could picture her face; the 5'5" African american girl with the most striking green eyes. Her specialty was as a sniper (but she had been training in martial arts since she was 10), her leader board rank- 24th. She had a family; her parents ran a restaurant, her younger brother was in college training to be an high school science teacher. and now none of them would ever know how or where their Lily died.

It wasn't fair. If he had the power, he would send every freelancer's remains home to their loved ones for a proper, dignified final resting place.

He had no scientific/proven reason to believe in ghosts or souls, but after all the death he had seen, he made it a point to say a silent prayer for each of his fallen teammates... before blowing their corpses up with the many explosive charges he kept with him (at all times.)

Why?because, if command thought he would be willing to strip search the bodies of his dead friends for what ever was left of their armor- command could kiss his a$$.

"any salvageable material found on Agent Arkansas?" asked the voice on his radio.- right on time.

"nope! totally destroyed."

"really, Washington; you have yet to bring back a substantial salvage, other then the AI components. "

"very true. maybe the person who keeps killing former freelancers also likes to rob them." he said sarcastically. "so what's next?"

"another beacon, coordinates are being sent."

With a heavy heart, he stretched his back and got back in his vehicle. Who would it be this time? He knew every face, every story.

At what appeared to be an abandoned base laid the body of Agent York. judging by the physical evidence, there had been a fire fight; 3 combatants, 1 dead, 2 escaped, one badly beaten.

He scanned agent york's body."armor's at 72% not bad for an old locksmith."

Unlike previous cases, this one might be for the best. Agent York's mother died on a car accident when he was 12, his father committed suicide just a few years after he left for the military. He had no other close family. in fact the only light in his life seemed to be his loving devotion to a certain hot redhead. Agent Carolina never saw him as more then a friend, but even she could feel how much he cared for her. (She would be devastated to learn of his death; if she ever did.)

But for York; he could finally rest-just after Washington removed the AI Delta.

After some argument, he got delta to agree to put it's self in to an external device, so it could be removed with out having to attach itself to Washington. (After his previous experience with AI he really didn't want it in his armor.

With Delta in an external device, he detonated York's body. "rest in peace old friend."

Then like all the others; "any salvageable materials to report?" asked the voice from command.

"I have recovered the Delta AI." he said getting back on his vehicle.

"right in time, we've got another one for you." the voice replied.

Washington sighed. This was not the life he wanted. Perhaps someday things would be different, maybe soemday

he would have a chance to start over with a new friends, a new mission; a new life.


	6. Agent Carolina

2nd epilogue-

ooc- after re-watching "out of mind" I was inspired to make a Carolina chapter.

It would be years later when she made her way to York's final resting place; she needed to see it, even if Washington had detonated the body long before.

Agent Wisconsin, after paying for York's hospital bill had been tracked down by Wyoming and gutted alive with a note saying "knock knock-who's there- suck it! b-ch!" Since Wisconsin had left on a medical discharge he had no freelancer armor, this was just for fun, and to leave a message for anyone following Wyoming's trail of death

But from evidence left behind Washington knew where York was headed next, but that was unnecessary since York was one of the few freelancers to die with their AI. (So Agent Iowa was still at large and assumed alive. )

But none of that mattered to Carolina.

The last time she ever saw York-

York-"...you can trust me."

Carolina-"but you can't trust me."

She knew what those words really meant; "you can trust me- because I love you." so her response; the last thing she ever said to him, was essentially- "But I don't love you." And it made her sick to her stomach.

Why didn't she leave with him? Was it her loyalty to her father; to the idea of project freelancer? Was she so blinded by her hatred for Agent Texas she assumed the worst about York's decision to leave with her?

Carolina and York, aka Daniel, had been together for 3 years. They were just soldiers stationed on the same base, in the middle of nowhere with not much to do other then work and training- and the on base nightclub.

The day she met him at the nightclub; all alone, flicking a lighter, he looked like someone from a 90's boy band; the kind of guys who would never talk to her in high school. In school she was a loner; a book worm who also weight trained and took judo classes after school but never wore makeup and didn't know how to make friends (she was pretty much still that way.)But that night would be different, that night she felt sexy.

From her hair makeup (that took way longer then it should have), her dress (that left little to the imagination), her heels (that hurt her feet worse than any combat injury) she made it her goal to go home with the hottest guy she could find; just to prove to herself she could. But what she didn't expect was for him to be kindhearted, funny, creative, brilliant, loving- the most amazing person she would ever meet.

They night she went home with him, and talked- only talked (and drank), for hours. She fall asleep in his bed, but he slept on the couch.

From then on they were inseparable (or as inseparable as two people could be who were in different units). A self taught 'hacker', Daniel was assigned to a computer security squadron, while Carolina was assigned to a search and rescue unit.

Both were high security clearance level jobs with 50-60 hour work weeks. But in what little down time they had, they would spend together, just hanging out or hand to hand combat training.

The first time he kissed her was when she dislocated his shoulder. She helped him pop it back in to place even though he was in visible pain. She didn't like hurting him, but she was just so much more skilled then him, (and a little too competitive) it was unavoidable. She brought him an ice pack, but she found herself caressing her hand down his chest, he was so gorgeous she couldn't look away.

That's when he pulled her close and kissed her. It was as if someone flipped a light switch in her soul. Her life had been filled with such sadness, but with that kiss he gave her a reason to truly live. She was emotionally broken, but so was he; it was why their love was so pure; they needed each other.

Other then their training dates they rarely went out in public (Carolina preferred it what way.) They would spend the night at his apartment; she would see his many inventions, and passion for security technology, his sketch book, and sci-fi novels. Her interests were not as unique (mostly military and fitness related) but he still found her fascinating. After a year (against her father's wishes) she moved in with him.

They shared a bed; sometimes sleeping in sweats, other time in underwear, but hey would only ever cuddle and caress each other until they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Contrary to what everyone assumed; they never had sex- that would be one of her biggest regrets. There was never any time, but they could have found time. In truth she was afraid; to make love to him would have meant bearing her soul to him. There was always a part of her that never felt worthy of his love.

But he didn't complain; their time together was too precious, even more so when they joined project freelancer.

When they joined project freelancer together; he found it cute that she was the only freelancer agent who used her actual first name.

When she was not busy training obsessively, or assigned to separate missions, he would sleep in her room- like before. They would talk and hold each other close- like before. They would talk about the future; a life after their time as soldiers. He wanted to marry her someday, he wanted a family, maybe he'd work in security or just be s stay at home dad while she pursued her dreams- he just wanted to see her happy.

Back in the present; when the AI Epsilon made his presence known she was pissed; because the last thing she wanted was for someone to see her cry- even if was just an AI. But what he had to show her would be life changing.

In a series of video journal entries York talked about how he missed her, how he hoped she might still be alive; and most importantly- that he forgave her. He didn't die heartbroken, or hating her, he died wishing they could have had a second chance.

It was all she could do to maintain her tough girl act. Now she could move on; throw herself in to her mission to get revenge on project freelancer; for Daniel, and every life her father destroyed.

Epsilon didn't show her what else he found in Delta's data logs. Delta had been monitoring York's failing health. At the time of the journal entries he was sick with pneumonia and hadn't eaten in days; his words were possibly nothing more than fever educed delirium. But she didn't need to know that. She needed to remember him as he was, because even in death his love would inspire her to victory.


End file.
